Disney is reportedly contemplating a significant decrease in the number of live-action Star Wars shows released annually on its streaming platform, Disney+. This potential change comes immediately after canceling The Acolyte and budget concerns.
According to reports from industry insider Daniel Richtman, Disney is aiming to limit its live-action Star Wars show releases to just one per year starting in 2025. This shift marks a stark contrast to the recent trend of multiple Star Wars shows debuting on Disney+ each year since its launch in 2019 (via TheDirect).
Popular series like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka did well, but the watch time seems to be an issue for others like The Acolyte. The more major issue is likely the high production costs associated with these CGI-heavy shows. According to the report from Richtman, it’s actually a strain on Disney’s budget.
I’m hearing that several series are in development, but it seems they plan to release only one live-action series per year starting in 2025.
Daniel Richtman
If the shows did well, there wouldn’t be a need to change anything, so we can assume things aren’t going how Disney hoped. Bob Iger’s statements further support the notion that Disney is prioritizing quality content over sheer volume. Iger emphasized the need to be more selective in the company’s content creation process, especially in light of the rising production costs. This strategic shift is not limited to Star Wars, as similar changes have also been rumored for Marvel’s television output on Disney+.
While Disney has yet to officially confirm these reports, the potential reduction could mean that Disney focuses on quality. It’s hard to say the shows haven’t been good to watch, it’s mostly getting viewers to stick to shows that seems to be the problem. We’ll see if this change in strategy improves the quality of each new show.
Published: Sep 5, 2024 01:21 pm